Portable antenna assembly



Sept. 24, i968 BERGER ET Al. 3,403,404

PORTABLE ANTENNA ASSEMBLY Filed April 29, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet l Sept.24, 1968 J. BERGER ET AL -3,403,404

PORTABLE ANTENNA ASSEMBLY A Filed April 29, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS aina/wf aff@ FM4/vk fa/@ Sept. 24, 1968 J. BERGER ETALPORTABLE ANTENNA ASSEMBLY I5 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 29, 1966 Law, '56

United States Patent O Mice 3,403,404 PORTABLE ANTENNA ASSEMBLY `leromeBerger, North Woodmere, Frank Guido, Brooklyn, and John Fesko, Jr.,Fayetteville, N.Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to StratfordRetreat House, White Plains, N.Y., a religious organization of New YorkFiled Apr. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 546,378

7 Claims. (Cl. 343-713) The instant invention relates to antennas, andmore particularly to an antenna assembly for use with portable TVreceivers which yields vastly improved reception capabilities overpresent-day portable antenna assemblies while providing versatilemounting means to greatly facilitate mounting of the antenna in avariety of different ways.

Present-day portable TV receivers typically employ telescoping antennaassemblies which, due to their collapsible capability, are substantiallyself-storing and occupy very little space in the collapsed condition,usually being capable of being collapsed Within the confines of thereceiver housing so as to facilitate transportability of the receiver.However, such telescoping a'ntenna assemblies have certain drawbacks inthat they are not capable of being extended in certain environments, andthey provide only marginal reception in suburban areas which lie outsideof metropolitan areas where TV transmitting stations are normallylocated. As one example, the use of portable TV receivers in automobilesis rapidly increasing. However, due to the confines of an automobile, itis quite often impossible to extend the dipole arm or arms of thetelescoping antenna assemblies. Also, the metallic body of theautomobile will act as a barrier to transmitted waves, and such portableTV telescoping antennas are not normally designed to cope withautomobile ignition interference. In addition thereto, in otherapplications such as, for example, on marine craft where sufiicientheadroom may be available for extending the telescoping antennaassemblies, such telescoping assemblies fail to provide the receptionrequired outside the normal reception ranges due to their low gaincharacteristics.

The instant invention is characterized by providing a portable TVantenna structure which is capable of being easily and readily mountedupon an automobile, and having bracket means to expand the versatilityof the mounting means in order to mount the antenna to moving structuressuch as marine craft, and the like.

The instant invention is comprised of a substantially U- shaped windowclamp assembly which is designed to lit snugly upon the upper edge of acar window which is rolled down to receive the clamp assembly. Theinterior surface of the window clamp assembly is provided with a pair ofgripping gaskets preferably formed of a resilient material forfrictionally engaging the opposing surfaces of the window. Afterslipping the window bracket upon the rolled-down window, the window maythen be completely closed to provide a" snug mounting. The windowbracket is designed in such a way to permit the window to be completelyclosed, with the bracket mounted upon the window to provide for a snugmounting, as Well as to prevent the ingress of air, rain, snow or anyother objectionable matter.

The window clamp assembly is provided with a pair of joining nutassemblies for receiving the lower sections of the antenna dipoles whichare each bent in two places along their length so as to generallyconform to the exterior curvature of the automobile. The upper sectionsof the antenna dipoles are mounted to their associated lower sections bymeans of joining nut assemblies, and when so secured, extend over thetop of the automobile.

3,403,404 Patented Sept. 24, 1968 The window clamp assembly is providedwith insulated cable means which are electrically connected to theantenna dipole located on the exterior side of the car window, andgenerally follow the curvature of the U-shaped mounting bracket so as toextend to the interior side of the window where they are electricallyconnected to a .balun transformer means which is mechanically secured tothe window bracket assembly. The insulated connecting strip is sopositioned Within the window bracket assembly so as not to be capable ofbeing damaged by the window when it is in the fully closed position. Acoaxial cable coupled to the balun transformer assembly is electricallymated to an input terminal of at control box which has an exteriormounting bracket for securing the control box to the upper surface ofthe portable TV receiver. 'Ihe control box is provided with impedancematching elements which are designed to react with the antenna dipolesso as to improve the reception characteristics of the antenna for allVHF channels. The control box is provided with manually operableswitching means for Selectively switching one of the impedance elementsinto circuit with the antenna dipoles in order to improve the antennareception characteristics. The antenna, which consists of a V-bentdipole mounted to the window bracket assembly, is designed to -beresonant in the M4 mode at 55 megacycles (channel 2). This means thatthe same dipole structure will be resonant in the 3M 2 mode at 175megacycles (channel 7). Thus, the dipole is a multimode element beingresonant in the M2 mode for low band, and SM2 mode for the high bandoperation. The impedance matching control box is provided with asuliicient number of impedance matching elements and switch positions tomatch the reactance of the antenna for operation a't channels 3 through6 in the low band VHF and 8 through 13 in the high band VHF. The baluntransformer is provided for the purpose of transforming the realimpedance of the antenna from y20 ohms to 75 ohms in order to matchantenna impedance to the TV receiver input impedance.

The impedance matching control box is further provided with an outputterminal which is electrically coupled through a coaxial cable to theantenna input terminals of the TV receiver.

When not in use, the upper and lower sections of the antenna dipoles canbe uncoupled from one another and the lower sections of the antennadipoles can be uncoupled from the window mounting bracket to facilitatestorage and transportation of the antenna. When it is desired to use theantenna, it is a simple matter to couple the antenna dipole lowersections to the window mounting bracket and to couple the upper dipolesections to the lower sections. The window mounting bracket simply andreadily slips over the Vupper edge of the window, and the window can berolled up to the completely closed position in order to provide a snugfitting of the window mounting assembly to the automobile. The twosections of coaxial cable are then connected between transformer andcontrol box to antenna input leads of the TV receiver.

In operation, the portable receiver is tuned to a television station andadjusted for normal reception. The control box manually operable switchmeans may then be operated to any one of its plurality of positions toprovide the best reception for the channel being received. The antennais designed to give optimum performance under average operatingconditions, and is further designed to minimize the pick-up ofautomobile ignition interference.

In the case where it is desired to mount the portable antenna assemblyupon a boat, for example, this may be readily and simply done throughthe use of a marine mounting bracket which is a substantially U-shapedmember comprised of a yoke or base portion having a pair of armsextending from said yoke in substantially the same direction. The outermarginal edges of said arms are bent inwardly so as to extend toward oneanother. These bent portions or flanges are adapted to embrace the lowerends of the window mounting assembly whose marginal edges are bentoutwardly and away from one another so as to be bent around and liebeneath the flanges of the marine bracket. The marine 'bracket flangesare further provided with a plurality of projections or tabs adapted tobe received by suitable slots of substantially similar dimensionsprovided near the lower end of the window mounting assembly bracket.Apertures are provided in the arms of the marine bracket for receivingsuitable fastening means so as to draw the arms of the marine bracketand hence, the anges, toward one another in order to very snugly embracethe window mounting assembly. The marine bracket is further providedWith suitable apertures in its base portion and, additionally, in one ofits arms for the purpose of securing these brackets to a mountingsurface.

Mounting of the marine bracket may be performed simply by employment ofsuitable fastening means in either the apertures provided in one armthereof or in the base portion for securement to a mounting surface. Thewindow mounting assembly may then be inserted between the facing flangesof the marine bracket, and the bracket fastening members may then betightened, causing the marine bracket to very snugly embrace the windowmounting assembly. The marine bracket may be left in position on themounting surface, and the antenna assembly may be dismounted from themarine bracket very simply through the loosening of the marine bracketfastening means so as to permit use of the antenna assembly in anautomobile. While the marine bracket has been described as being capableof simply and readily mounting the antenna assembly to marine craft, itshould be understood that the bracket is versatile enough to be employedin a variety of other applications.

It is, therefore, one object of the instant invention to provide a novelantenna assembly for use with portable TV receivers.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a novel antennaassembly for use with portable TV receivers having a first mountingassembly to permit the antenna to be simply and readily mounted upon anautomobile window.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide a novelantenna assembly for use with portable TV receivers, and having novelmounting assemblies enabling the antenna assembly to be removablymounted upon an automobile window or a suitable mounting surface ofmarine craft, for example, and to be readily and simply removed anddisassembled.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a novel antennaassembly for use with portable TV receivers which is so designed as tobe simply and readily mounted upon the window of an automobile whereinthe antenna dipoles are positioned exterior to the automobile andgenerally conform to the curvature of the automobile body.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a novel antennaassembly for use with portable TV re` ceivers, and the like, and havinga mounting assembly to permit the antenna assembly to be readily andsimply mounted upon the window of an automobile, and further havingmanually adjustable impedance matching means for improving the receptionof all TV channels in the VHF band.

These and other objects of the instant invention will become apparentwhen reading the accompanying description and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of an antenna assembly designed naccordance with the principles of the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 shows an end view of the mounting assemblies of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the antennaassembly is mounted to an automobile.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View showing in detail the manner in which thelower dipole element is secured to the antenna window mounting assembly.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic diagram showing the electronic arrangement ofthe antenna control box.

FIGURES 6a-6b are top and end views, respectively, of the marinebracket.

FIGURES 7a-7b show two different views of a marine mount for the antennaassembly.

FIGURES tia-8b are front and end views, respectively, of the dipolemounting plate of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of one of the holding plates shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURES 10a and 10b are side and end views, respectively, of theautomobile mounting plate of FIGURES 1-3.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURES 1 and 2 show the antenna assembly10 of the instant invention, which is comprised of a window mountassembly 11 for positioning and supporting the antenna dipole assembly12 upon an automobile, in a manner to be more fully described.

The window mounting assembly 11 is comprised of a substantially U-shapedbracket 13 having a pair of outwardly directed ilanges 13a and 13b atits lower end. A first arm of the bracket 13 has secured thereto a frontinsulator plate 14 which is a substantially tlat rigid insulating membermade of a suitable plastic and which is provided with a pair of openings15 and 15a for receiving rivet members 16, only one of which is shown inFIG. 2. FIGURES 8a and 8b show the top and end views of the frontinsulator plate 14. A second pair of openings 17a and 17b are providedfor receiving the lock plugs 18 and 19 which are secured to frontinsulator plate 14 by means of rivets 20 and 21, respectively. The lockplugs 18 and 19 are threaded at 22 in order to threadedly engage matingplugs, to be more fully described, which are secured to the lower endsof the lower dipole elements. The lock plugs 18 and 19 are each providedwith a pair of grooves 18a-18b, 19a-19h, for receiving the locating pinstructure provided at the lower end of the lower antenna dipoleelements. As shown in FIGURE 4 the locating pins are rigidly secured tolower ends of the lower dipole elements 12a and 12b (see FIG. 1) andeach pin 22 is provided with a pair of projections 23 and 24 which arearranged substantially in straight line fashion and which are designedto be received by the slots, for example, the slots 19h-19h in order toalign the lower dipole elements 12a and 12b at an angle tothe verticaldirection as shown in FIGURE l. The lower elements 12a and 12b arerigidly secured to the lock plugs and hence to the bracket assembly bymeans of the slip nuts 25, shown best in FIGURES 2 and 4, which havetheir interiors threaded so as to threadedly engage the threadedportions 22 of lock nuts 18 and 19.

The opposite surface of the bracket arm supporting the front insulatorplate also supports a substantially llat vinyl mounting member 26 whichis provided with a plurality of grooves 27 for frictionally gripping yanautomobile Window in a manner to be more fully described.

The vinyl mount member 26 is provided with a pair of openings forreceiving the rivets 16. A harness strip 29, shown also in FIGURE 9 andwhich is a substantially iiat and narrow metallic member, is providedwith a pair of holes 29a and 29b for receiving the rivets 16 so Ias torigidly secure both the harness strip and the vinyl mount to the bracket13 by means of rivets 16.

The dipole antenna 12, as was previously described, is comprised of apair of lower dipole elements 12a and 12b which are bent in the mannerbest shown in FIG- URE 3. The lower ends of the lower elements aresecured to the bracket assembly 11 and `aligned in the manner shown inFIGURE 1 by virtue of the cooperation between the lock plugs 1S and 19with the locating pins 23 and with the slip nuts 25. The upper ends oflower elements 12a and 12b are provided with male join nuts 30a and 30hwhich threadedly engage female join nuts 31a and 31b to allow for simpledisassembly of the antenna for handling and transportation purposes. Theupper element portions 12C and 12d to which the female join nuts 31a and31b are secured, are also provided at their extreme upper ends withsealing plugs 32a and 32b, respectively. While the assembly in itspreferred form, is comprised of antenna elements 12a-12d which arehollow tubular members, it should also be understood that these membersmay also be formed out of solid rods if desired. With the antenna in thefully assembled form, as can best be seen in FIGURE 3, it will be notedthat the dipole lower elements 12a and 12b are each bent at 33a-33b and34a-34b, whereas the upper element portions 12C and 12d aresubstantially straight.

The remaining arm of bracket 13, as shown in FIG- URE 2, has securedthereto a housing 35 formed of a suitable insulating material forpositioning and supporting a balun transformer which is employed for thepurpose of impedance matching between the antenna and the portable TVreceiver when control box 3 is not ernployed. The housing 35 is providedwith suitable openings 35a which receive rivets 3517 to secure housing35 to the interior arm of bracket 13. The opposite surface of theinterior bracket arm supports a second vinyl mount 26', having aplurality of grooves 27 and which is substantially identical to thevinyl mount 26 both in configuration and function. The mount 26 is alsoprovided with a plurality of openings for receiving the rivets 35h. Asecond back-up strip 29 substantially identical to that shown in FIGURE9, receives the rivets 35b through suitable openings provided therein torigidly position and secure the balun transformer housing 35 and vinylmount 26.

The rivets and 21, shown best in FIGURES 8a and 8b, are electricallyconnected to conductors 36 and 37 which are housed within insulatingsleeves. The first end of the conductors 36 and 37 are electricallyconnected to the rivets 20 and 21 and hence to the dipole elements,while the opposite ends of these conductors are electrically connectedto the input terminals of the balun transformer (not shown) containedwithin the transformer housing 35. As can best be seen in FIGURE 2, theconductors 36 and 37 are bent in substantially U-shaped fashion andfollow the general contour of bracket 13. A substantially flatrelatively flexible sheet of plastic material 38 is sandwiched betweenthe vinyl mounts 26, 26 and the arms of bracket 13 and follows thegeneral contour of bracket 13, for the purpose of protecting thesheathed conductors 36 and 37 against any damage by the automobilewindow when mounted to a car.

The output terminals of the balun transformer (not shown) are coupledthrough a coaxial cable 35C, as can best be seen in FIGURE 1, and areelectrically coupled to an input terminal 39a of control box 34 by meansof a plug 35d. The control box 39 is provided for the purpose of tuningthe antenna to peak performance at each one of the channel frequenciesby means of an electrical circuit to be more fully described. The outputof the control box is coupled to a coaxial cable 40 which is provided atits extreme end with a pair of terminal lugs 40a and 40b for coupling tothe antenna input terminals of a TV receiver. The balun transformer 49is preferably mounted within control box 34 in place of the baluntransformer contained within housing 32. The balun transformer may bemounted in housing 32 when the control box is not employed.

The electrical circuit of the control box 39 is shown best in FIGURE 5and is comprised of a molded case 41 having a pin plug 39a for receivingthe plug 35d of coaxial cable 35C. The pin plug 39a is electrlcallyconnected through lead 40 to one terminal 42a of a onepole, six positionnon-shortng switch 41, which switch is operated by the switch knob 43shown in FIGURE 1. The positions 1-6 shown on the face plate of housing39 serves to identify the position of the switch at any given instant.One lead of the coaxial pin plug 39a is electrically connected throughconductor 44 and the primary winding of balun transformer 47, to aplurality of conductors 45, all of which are electrically connected toone terminal of ceramic disc capacitors 46a-46f, respectively. The otherterminals of capacitors 4611-461 are electrically connected to theswitch terminals 42b-42g, respectively. Electrical connection betweenthe terminal 42a and one of the terminals 42b-42g is established bymeans of a rotatable contact arm 48 which is in continuous engagementwith terminal 42a and which selectively engages only one of theterminals 42b-42g at any given time. The rotary contact arm 4S isrotatable under control of a shaft (not shown) secured to the manuallyoperable switch knob 43 shown in FIGURE 1. With the switch in theposition shown in FIGURE 6 the electrical circuit is as follows:

One terminal of plug 39a is coupled through conductor 49 to terminal 42aof switch 41. The remaining terminal of plug 39a is electrically coupledthrough conductor 44, which is inductively coupled to the secondaryWinding of balun transformer 49 as well as one terminal of all of thecapacitors 46a-46f. The conductor 49 is coupled through terminal 42a androtary contact arm 48 to terminal 42b. The output winding of balunassembly 47 is electrically coupled through output plug 51 and coaxialcable 40 to the antenna input terminal of the portable receiver, therebyplacing the selected capacitive reactance in series with one arm of thedipole assembly.

The electrical circuitry of FIGURE 5 acts as an impedance match to matchthe single dipole assembly 12 on all of the VHF channels. The antennaassembly 12 is preferably of Ia dipole length which is resonant in the7\/ 2 mode at 55 megacycles (channel 2). This means that the same dipoleassembly 12 will be resonant at the SM2 mode at 175 megacycles (channel7). Thus, the dipole is a multi-mode element working in the 2 mode forlow-band reception and the 3l\/2 mode for the high band.

Measuring the impedance of the dipole at frequencies in the low-bandabove channel 2 and at frequencies in the high band above channel 7, itis found that the dipole has an inductive reactance. At the higherfrequencies of each band some device is necessary to match the dipole.In the antenna assembly described herein the six-position switch iscoupled in electrical series with one arm of the dipole assembly 12.Each capacitive reactance is then selectively inserted in series withthe dipole assembly. The capacitive reactance tunes out the inductivereactance of the dipole. With proper selection of the capacitors used inthe switch all 12 TV channel frequencies can be matched. The balunassembly 49 is a transformer having a ratio of preferably 4:1. Theassembly 47 plays no part in bringing the dipole to a resonance on thehigher channels, but is required to transform the real impedance from 20ohms to 75 ohms in order to match the dipole assembly to the inputimpedance of the receiver. The values ofthe ceramic disc capacitors46a-46], in order to achieve such matching, have values of 1.8, 3.9, 27,15, 68 and 12 picofarads, respectively.

to the automobile by winding .down the automobile window 52 to an amountsufficient to permit the arms of bracket 13 to embrace the oppositesides of window 52 in the manner shown in FIGURE 3. The vinyl mounts 26and 26 will frictionally engage the surfaces of the window. The assemblyis mounted so as to have the dipole antenna elements .12 extending tothe exterior of the automobile, in the manner shown. The window 52 isthen preferably rolled al1 the way up to provide a snug mounting. Theupper bends 13b and 13C of bracket 13, shown best in FIGURE 2, permitbracket 13 to be received within the groove in the window frame in whichthe top edge of the window is normally received, thereby providing avery snug t for the assembly. The flexible plastic sheet 38 acts toprevent the sheathed conductors 36 and 37 from being damaged when theantenna assembly is mounted in this fashion.

With the transformer housing 35 extending to the interior of theautomobile, the plug 35d of coaxial cable 35C is then plugged in to thereceiving plug 39a of control box 39, as shown best in FIGURE 1. Thecoaxial cable 40 extending from control box 39 is then secured by meansof its terminal lugs 40a and 4Gb to the antenna input terminal of theportable receiver 51. The manner in which the portable receiver 51 ismounted within the automobile is optional and lends no novelty to thedevice of the instant invention.

In operation, the portable receiver 51 is tuned to a television stationand adjusted for normal reception. The control box switch knob 43 maythen be adjusted to any one of the six positions provided in order toobtain the best reception for the channel being received.

FIGURE 3 shows an alternative arrangement for the antenna dipoleassembly of FIGURE 1. The upper dipole sections 12C and 12d arecomprised of telescoping portions 71-73 and 74-76 respectively, shown inthe fully extended position. When collapsed, the sections 71-73 areconcealed in the upper portion 77 of their lower dipole arm section,Likewise, sections 7476 when collapsed are concealed in the upperportion 78 of their associated lower dipole arm section. Thisarrangement reduces the number of elements which must be assembled toone another. The section 71-73 and 74-76 are placed in the operatingposition simply by moving them from the collapsed (concealed) to theextended position as shown in FIGURE 3.

In cases where the antenna assembly is to be mounted at other locationssuch as, for example, upon marine craft, a marine bracket 60 isprovided. Bracket 60 can best be seen in FIGURES l, 2 and 6a-6c, Thebracket 60 is bent to form a substantially C-shaped configuration, ascan best be seen in FIGURES 2 and 6c. The bracket 60 is comprised of abase portion 61 having a pair of extending arms 62 and 63 which are bentinwardly at their upper ends to form the flanges 64 and 65,respectively. Flanges 64 and 65 are provided with a pair of projections66a-66b and 67a-67b which are designed to be inserted within thecooperating slots 68a-68b and 69a-69b respectively, provided in the armsof bracket 13, as can best be seen in FIGURES 2, a and 10b.

The base portion 61 is provided with a plurality of apertures 61a-61cfor receiving suitable fastening members 65, shown in FIGURE 1, forsecuring the base portion 6.1 to a mounting surface. Arm 63 is providedwith a pair of openings 68a-68b and arm 62 is provided with a pair ofrecessed square-shaped openings 69a-69b for the purpose of receiving thefastening means, one of which is shown in FIGURE 2.

Arm 62 is further provided with a pair of openings 71a and 71b toprovide for side mounting, in a manner to be more fully described.

When it is desired to use the antenna assembly on marine craft, forexample, the manner of mounting can best be appreciated from aconsideration of FIGURES l, 2, 7a and 7b.

In order to obtain a top mount assembly as shown in FIGURE 7a, the baseportion 61 of bracket 60 is secured to a mounting surface 75 by means offastening members 76. The underside of the mounting surface is providedwith a suitable support plate 77 having openings for receiving fasteningmember 76. The nuts 78 which threadedly engage bolt 76 may then betightened to rigidly secure bracket 60 to the mounting surface 75. Ifthe mounting surface 75 is of appreciable thickness and is asufficiently strong durable material, screws such as, for example, woodscrews, may be employed in place of the bolts 76, nuts 78 and supportingplate 77.

Having secured bracket 60 to the mounting surface 75, the windowmounting bracket 13 is then inserted between the flanges 64 and 65 ofbracket 60, in the manner shown in FIGURE 2, so that the projections67a67b and 66a-66b of flanges 65 and 64, respectively, are inserted intothe associated slots 68a-68b and 69a-69b, provided near the lower endsof the arms of bracket 13. The bolts 70 are then inserted into therecessed openings 69a and 6912 in bracket arm 62 and nuts 79 are rigidlytightened so that the marine bracket 60 rigidly embraces and supportsthe window mounting bracket 13. As shown in FIG- URE 2, the right-handends of bolts 70 are preferably provided with a rectangular-shapedcross-section near the hea-ds thereof in order to be keyed to the squareshaped openings 69a and 6911, thereby facilitating the tightening oflock nuts 79.

If it is desired to provide a side mount for the antenna as shown inFIGURE 7b, the openings 71a and 71b provided in bracket arm 62 may beemployed for the purpose of receiving the bolt 76, shown in FIGURE 2, toprovide such a side mounting. The use of the antenna upon marine craftwill be the same as previously described with respect to the use of theantenna within an automobile. While the mounting bracket 60 has beenshown mounted to marine craft, it should be understood that the bracketcan be used for mounting an antenna assembly upon any horizontalvertical or inclined surface. When mounting the antenna assembly in acar as shown in FIGURE 3, bracket 60 is omitted.

It can therefore be seen from the foregoing that the instant inventionprovides a novel antenna assembly having -a wide variety of applicationsfor use with portable receivers and having novel mounting assemblies toallow the antenna assembly to be used with equal ease in automobiles, onmarine craft or on any other mounting desired.

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novelinvention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be limited,not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

What is claimed is: 1. An antenna assembly comprising a window mountingassembly including a substantially U-shaped bracket;

a pair of dipole elements;

means for removably coupling the inboard ends of said dipole elements toone arm of said bracket;

sheathed conductive means having a first end thereof electricallycoupled to the inboard ends of said dipole elements and being arrangedto follow the general contour of said bracket member;

the opposite end of said sheathed conductive means being located nearthe end of the remaining arm of said bracket;

cable means electrically coupled to said sheathed conductor means forcoupling the antenna assembly to a receiver;

irst and second resilient sheets being secured to the inner surfaces ofsaid bracket -arms for embracing and frictionally engaging the rolleddown window of an automobile to permit said antenna assembly to berigidly mounted thereto.

2. The antenna assembly of claim 1 further comprising threaded couplingmeans for removably securing the inboard ends of said dipole elements toone arm of said bracket, each of said threaded coupling means beingcornprised of a first coupling member secured to said bracket arm nearthe lower end thereof and being provided with an outwardly projectinglocator pin when said coupling elements threadedly engage one another toorient the associated dipole element at a predetermined angularposition.

3. The antenna assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said dipole elementsare comprised of upper and lower sections being removably coupled to oneanother by male and female join nuts, respectively, which threadedlyengage one another and which are rigidly secured to the upper end ofsaid lower element section and the lower end of said upper elementsection, respectively.

4. The antenna assembly of claim 1 wherein said dipole elements have atip-to-tip length of the order of 2 wavelengths at the lowest VHFchannel frequency wherein a is equal to the wavelength of the lowestchannel frequency;

control means electrically coupled between the receiver and said cableincluding a plurality of reactive elements and manually settable switchmeans for electrically connecting one of said reactive elements inseries with one of said dipole elements, the values of said reactiveelements being selected to cancel the inductive reactance of the antennadipole assembly at each of the channel frequencies of the VHF band inorder to provide peak reception thereof.

5. The antenna assembly of claim 1 further comprising second bracketmeans for enabling said antenna assembly to be secured to a mountingsurface;

said second bracket assembly being comprised of la substantiallyU-shaped bracket having a base portion and -rst and second arms bothextending in a first direction, the marginal ends of said arms beingbent toward one another to form first and second lflanges, each of saidflanges having at least one projecting ear extending in the samedirection as its associated fiange;

the extreme ends of said window mounting assembly bracket being bentaway from one another to form a pair of second and third lianges, eachof said first bracket arms being provided with a slot for receiving anassociated projecting ear of said second bracket means;

said second bracket means base portion being provided with apertures forreceiving fastening means to secure said second bracket to a mountingsurface;

the first and second flanges of said second bracket assembly beingpositioned to embrace the third and fourth fianges of said first bracketassembly;

the projecting ears of said third and fourth flanges being positionedwithin the associated slots provided in the arms of said first bracketassembly;

the arms of said second bracket assembly each being provided with atleast one aperture, said apertures being substantially in alignment;

fastening means inserted through said aligned apertures for joining thearms of said second bracket assembly toward one another in order totightly embrace the anges of said iirst bracket assembly.

6. The antenna assembly of claim 5 wherein at least one arm of saidsecond bracket assembly is provided with additional apertures forreceiving fastening means to secure said second bracket to a verticallyaligned mounting surface.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the outboard ends of said dipole areeach comprised of a plurality of telescoping sections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1963 Kaufman et al. 343-713 XR1/1966 Brill 343-713 XR

1. AN ANTENNA ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A WINDOW MOUNTING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING ASUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED BRACKET; A PAIR OF DIPOLE ELEMENTS; MEANS FORREMOVABLY COUPLING THE INBOARD ENDS OF SAID DIPOLE ELEMENTS TO ONE ARMOF SAID BRACKETS; SHEATHED CONDUCTIVE MEANS HAVING A FIRST END THEREOFELECTRICALLY COUPLED TO THE INBOARD ENDS OF SAID DIPOLE ELEMENTS ANDBEING ARRANGED TO FOLLOW THE GENERAL CONTOUR OF SAID BRACKET MEMBER; THEOPPOSITE END OF SAID SHEATHED CONDUCTIVE MEANS BEING LOCATED NEAR THEEND OF THE REMAINING ARM OF SAID BRACKET; CABLE MEANS ELECTRICALLYCOUPLED TO SAID SHEATHED CONDUCTOR MEANS FOR COUPLING THE ANTENNAASSEMBLY TO A RECEIVER; FIRST AND SECOND RESILIENT SHEETS BEING SECUREDTO THE INNER SURFACES OF SAID BRACKET ARMS FOR EMBRACING ANDFRICTIONALLY ENGAGING THE ROLLED DOWN WINDOW OF AN AUTOMOBILE TO PERMITSAID ANTENNA ASSEMBLY TO BE RIGIDLY MOUNTED THERETO.